Resilient wheel for vehicles



R. L. WILSON. .YBESILIENT WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. i916. 1 1,352,858. Iauelloedept'.` 14, 1920.

Y uvam/fof@ n Welozumh I i UNITED` 'spTAfrEs-'PTE RALPH Lnvniixvlrsml wILsoN, or- BERGEN, NORWAY.

,'REsILIEivT WHEEL non, VEHICLES., v-

T all 207mm t may coal/fiera." l I 'i Beit knownxtllat I, RALPH L.' WiLsoN, of

Bergen, Norway, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Resilient Wheels for Vehicles, and do hereby declare description thereof. y Y

The object of my Vinvention has been to provide a wheel for vehicles which shall have, among other qualities, the following:`

that it shall be resilient and that its resiliency shall be underl control, that itV shallbe simple and durable, and that it shall be coinparatively inexpensive, and to'such ends my invention consists inthe resilent wheel here- Y inafter specified. y

In the accompanying drawingsv'Figur'el is a side elevation of the Wheel embodying l, Amy invention, portions being broken away to show theinner structure; and f n 2 is la vertical longitudinal sectional viewfof Fig. 1. ,Y f

My inventi niis capable of embodiment in many' different forms, and While I have chosen the best embodiment thereof known to me with which toillustrate the invention,

such embodiment is to be regardedl as typi I cal only ,of many possible embodiments, and i m invention is not to'be confined thereto. llnthe illustrated embodiment, a hub y/1 '1s provided with flanges 2 and 2al towhich are secured an annular series'ofv U-shape springs 3. While the springs may be fastened to the hubs in any desired'manner, Iprefer'to fasten one end thereofby ,forming a shoulder 4 at the base of the flange 2, which shoulder Y slopes toward the flange in a directionapproachng the axle, and to shape the end 5 of the spring 'correspondingly' so'V that the weight of the vehiclewill tend to crowd the spring against the flange to counter-act anyl tendency to work away from it, and thus 'to keep it in place# I also prefer to provide afastening which shall have the same tend-p. ency, and to that end have provideda bev? eled'shoulder 6 on the flange 2, and a corre- Y spending but oppositely beveled shoulder 7 onthe spring, and have provided a ring 8 having a flaring channel Q in its outer faceA which is adapted to engage the said shoulders, and when the ring is forced upon the said shoulders as by a bolt 9 passing through the ring 8 and through a ring 10 on the outside of the springs, having a nut 11 on its outer end, the flaring walls of the said chan- Speccaton of Letters Patent. Patented Sept .141, 1920. Y Application sied Novemberyai, 191e. fseriai No. 133,232]` i nel tend to draw the shoulder 7, and conse-' quently the spring to which it is attached, toward the center of the wheel. VFor a 'pur-i pose later to be described, Idesire to be able Y Y to adjust the effective length; of theUfshap'e that 'the following is a'full, clear, and exact spring, and for this purpose I providemeans for 'adjusting the other end ofthe spring adjustment `consists of aV ring 12 having a beveled 'shoulder' 13 that bears upon thebevupon its flange 2a.- The illustrated means of eled end 14 of the right-hand end.v of the Y spring. The ring 12is provided with a foot 15 on'its `edge opposite to the beveled shoul.

derl, and this holds'the body of the ring away from the slde ofthe spring sothat the ring, Vand consequently,v the beveled end 13,

can be forced along a shoulder'l onthe'yhub,v ca uslng the beveled shoulder 18, by co-ac'ting` withthe beveled end 14 of the spring, tol

force the Ylatter outward "radially, and thus to increase the effective length of the spring. This forcing inwardof the rin'g 12 may be effected by the tightening of a nutV 17 on a bolt 18 pas'sing through a `ring 19,2011A the. linner side of theyflange 2?, but, of course,

other means may be used. I prefer to make the inner ends of the springs'rdove tail in cross-sectionvand tapered toward the center of the wheel and to have them received in` correspondingly shaped sockets'so that the pressure of thewheel on the ground will tend todri've such tapered 'ends into the sock` Y ets and ,thusv form a fastening even withoutA reliance on the bolts 9. As shown in Fig.' 1, the U-shape 'springs have'theirfront and rear 'edges substantially radial,'but are narrow enough to leave a'space'between each two springs so that/as they are forced inward by pressurefon the ground, they will have' room for play.

While it is not absolutely necessary,

sire to cover the tread portion of the springs bya tire 20, and have shown the tire as provided with wires 21 in its free edges, which are adapted to be engaged by the channeled l edges 22 of annular plates 'or Vrings 23 and V24, which preferably inclose lthe circular space inside of the tire on each side of the wheel. The rings 23 and 24may be drawn together by means of bolts 25 passing through them. Openings are preferably provided in the rings 23 and 24 to afford access to the nuts on thebolts 9 and 18 before `mentioned. i

The tire may be made ofany desired ma-I terial, suchas woven wire or canvas and rubj l springs.

'sa Y i Y mamans ber, but my invention is not to be confined to any particular structure, In order to pre1 vent wear of. the tire, 1 preferably provide Y lIt `will be observed that I have provided a resilient wheel'in which no use is made of' pneumatic pressure@ The resiliency is obtained by a very simple system of springs which are of comparatively simple structure.

The resiliency of the springs `can be centrolled by drawing the rings 23' and 24 more or less together, thus bringing ressure uppn the U-shape springs, which will stiften them more or less and yet the pressure is so far abeve the bent er tread Partien ef the ,Springe that the springs will still have a sufficiently resilient action.

The tightness of the tire can be regulated and inenied bv Ineane 0i the adjnetrnent ber Vfore described', in which the beveled shoulder 13 nnen the ring l2, aetng nnen the beveled end efvthe e ring, will ferte the Springe radially upward? thus causing their tread portions to' occupy a larger circle and stretch the'tire to any desired stop.

My resilient tire has the very great advantage that'the springs donot rub upon eae'h ether er veinen ether Part Of the wheel structure, K'lhisadvanta'ge makes both for durability and resiliency.

"I claim: i

l. A resilient wheel comprising a hub having' L I-shape springsfthe ends of which are vfastened to said hub, and means for adjusting said springs radiali outward, said means comprising ajring 1.avinef a beveled shoulder ,co-actingV with beveled shoulders on said springs.

2.v A resilient wheel comprising a hub having U-shape springs, the ends ci which are fastened to said hub, meansjfor adjusting said springs radially outward, said 'means comprisinga ring having a beveled shoulder l cri-acting with beveled shoulders. on said spring, andineans for forcing said shoulders more or less together. Y i

3. A resilient wheel comprising a hub and having Lil-shape springs, the ends of which are fastened to said hub, means for adjusting said springs radially outward, said means comprising a ring having a beveled shoulder co-acting 'with beveled shoulders on said springs, and means for forcing said shoulders more or less together, saidmeans comprising screws engaging said hub and said ring. Y 'i i' 4:. A resilient wheel .cemprising a hub and U'sh ape springs having their loops forming the tread portion. of the wheel, said hub having avflange and ashoulder beveled on said flange in a direction approaching the axle, said springs having correspondingly beveled shoulders, and means for 'drawing springs against said flan e and forcing their v,beveled ends against sai shoulder.

5. A resilient wheel comprising avliub and Uvshape springs having'V their loops Vforming the tread portion of the wheel, said hub having a iiange and a 'Shoulder beveled en. Said Sai.. e ringS having eerreeiaendinglv beveled shoulY ers, and means for drawing said springs against said flange and forcing their beveled ends against said shoulder, said means comprising oppositely beveled shoulders on said flange and springs, and a ring having a beveled channel adapted toi'engage Said eppeeitelv beveled Shenld'ere- Gf AreSil-ient Wheel eeinprie'ing a hub and U-Shape S, ,ringe having their leere farming the tread portion ofthe wheel, saidhub llaving a flange and a ehenlder beveledv en Said flange in a direetien appreaehing 'theafXlle said s rings having'cerrespondinglybeveled ehenl 1ere, and rneane. fer drawing' said i springs against said ange and forcing their flange in a direction appreaching the axle,

beveled ends against said shoulder, said means comprising oppositely ybeveled shouldere en Said .flange and Springe, and a ring having a beveledehannel' adapted te' engage Said eppeeitelv beveled shoulders, and means fer fereing Said .Channel and ehenldere te? f gether- 7- A resilient wheel eoinprisinga hub and U-Shaiie Springe having their 'lee-'reY ferneing the tread portion of the wheel, said hub having a flange and a Shoulder 'bevtied en'ead iiangeiin a direetien appreaehing thev axle Said Springe having eerre' spondingly beveled sheulders, and means for drawing Said Springe against Said lange and forging their beveled ende againsty Said shoulder said means comprising opp/esitelly` bevelel sheiilders on said' flange and spr-ings',

and a ring having beveled channel adapt-f` ed te engage Said eiaiieeitelv beveled Shoalders, andV means for QlCinsaid channel and Shenldere together, Sai' Ineens ternprising a screw.y a

8. A resilient` wheel comprising a hub having tlangere7 `U-Shape Springe attaehed Vte lsaid flanges, and having their loops forming a resilient tread for said wheel, and annular plates or rings adapted to engage the sides of said springs'within said tread and to control their resiliency. ,i

9. resilient wheel cor'nprising` a hub having flanges, U-.Shape Springe. attached te.

said flanges, and having theiiI loopsforming.v

a resilient tread for Said wheat and annular plates or rings adapted to engage the sides trol their resiliency, and means for drawing said annular plates or rings together.

10. A resilient wheel comprising a hub;

U.shape springs attached to said hub and having their loops forming a resilient tread, a fabric tire inclosing said tread, and studs carried by said tire and resting upon said springs to prevent wear of the tire by said springs.

1l. A resilient wheel comprising a hub having flanges, U-shape springs secured to said anges and having their loops forming a resilient tread, a fabric tire inclosing said tread and having beaded edges, and annular plates or rings on opposite sides of said wheel and having means to engage -said beaded edges.

, 12. A resilient wheel comprising a hub having flanges, Urshape springs secured to said flanges and having their loops forming a resilient tread, a fabric tire inclosing said tread and having beaded edges, annular p f 'plates or rings on opposite sides .of said wheel and having means to engage said beaded edges, and means for drawing said annular plates or ringstogether to regulate the resiliency of said springs.

13. A resilient wheel comprising the com-v bination of a hub and a tread formed of U-shape spring bands, having their loops forming the tread portion ofthe wheel, and means for varying the distance from the center of the wheel of the portions of the bands forming the tread, said means comprising rings engagingv opposite sides of said bands, and clamping devices for drawing said rings together.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

' RALPH LINDEKVIST WILSON.

Witnesses :j f

EDWIN J. PRINDLE, i i v MARGARET S. MACINTYRE. 

